England legend John Terry has made a bold comparison between Jude Bellingham and Zinedine Zidane, saying the Real Madrid midfielder is having the same impact on England that Zidane had on France during the 1998 and 2006 FIFA World Cups.
According to the former England captain, Bellingham has become the true leader of Thomas Tuchel’s side and is guiding the Three Lions toward success at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“I said at the start of this World Cup that he reminds me of Zidane. Right now, he’s carrying this team. I think he’s a world-class player. And when you hear him speak off the pitch, he has a real sense of calm and confidence about him,” Terry said.
Terry compared the 22-year-old to Zinedine Zidane, who led France to World Cup glory in 1998 by scoring twice in the final against Brazil. Zidane also inspired Les Bleus to another World Cup final in 2006, scoring against Italy before being sent off in extra time following his infamous incident with Marco Materazzi.
With England now just one step away from reaching the final, Terry believes Bellingham could be the player who leads the Three Lions to the long-awaited World Cup trophy.
Bellingham has been instrumental in England’s journey to the semi-finals, with his two goals against Norway securing the Three Lions’ place in the last four, where they will face Argentina.
